Official Release

Old School: Darlington Raceway hosted the first 500-mile race in NASCAR history and the first on asphalt on Sept. 4, 1950. – won by Johnny Mantz. There were 75 cars that started that first 500 mile race, opposed to the 43 cars that regularly start modern-day NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) races. In 1950 the pole winning speed was 82.034 mph; the current track qualifying sits at 184.145 mph. The average race winning speed in 1950 was just 75.250 mph, compared to the track race record of 141.383 mph.

Landon Cassill returns to the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller No. 01 Chevrolet this weekend as the Xfinity Series rolls onto the most historic stock car track on the schedule – Darlington Raceway.

The Xfinity Series rookie is scheduled to race at NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway for the first time in Saturday’s VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 race.

Rhodes made his first start at NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway in 2013, finishing 31st.

Joey McColm will realize a dream when he straps into a NASCAR Xfinity Series race car at Richmond International Raceway later this month.

Ryan Reed has competed at Darlington Raceway just once in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. In his first appearance at the track in 2014, Reed finished 13th after starting 18th.

As part of Darlington Raceway’s ‘Tradition Returns’ program, Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed will run a retro version of the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang in Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race.

Over the last 65 years the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has been competing at Darlington Raceway. The unique egg-shaped track – configured that way to avoid disturbing Ramsey’s pond - hosted its first Cup Series event in 1950. Darlington’s banner race, the Southern 500, was traditionally held over Labor Day weekend and became a staple for NASCAR fans each and every season. In 2003 NASCAR decided to move the date of the Southern 500 to April. Twelve years later one of motorsports crown jewel races returns to its original date.

In what has become a very popular "Throwback Paint Scheme" weekend at Darlington Raceway, J.J. Yeley and his JGL Racing team are proud to announce their participation and honoring of NASCAR legendary driver Buddy Baker. Yeley will pilot the No. 28 "Gray Ghost" Toyota on Saturday September 5th in the running of the VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 at "The Track Too Tough to Tame".

The calendar will show it’s Labor Day weekend, but this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Darlington Raceway might seem more like a Father’s Day celebration to David Ragan and his family.